Phonograph



July 31, u1945., w. A. HARDY 2,380,754

` PHoNoGnAPH l f Filed ot. 6, 1 942 im' l 76 linnenfor WilliamAJ-Iardy (lttorneg Patented July 31, 1945 PHONOGRAPH William A. Hardy, Gillette, N. J., assignor to Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange', N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 6, 1942, Serial No. 460,953

7 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to phonographs and more particularly to improved means and arrangements for controlling commercial phonographs of the dictating machine variety.

Dictation recording machines generally have provision for reproducing to permit an operator, while in the course of recording dictation, to listen as desired to portions of dictation previously recorded. In these machines, for instance, there is a translating device of the recordingreproducing type which is mounted on a carriage for traveling movement relative to a record on the machine, and on this carriage there is a control member which is movable into recording and reproducing positions to adjust the device into its recording and reproducing conditions. Ordinarily, in practice, an operator will want to reproduce only the last few words or sentence of his dictationto enable him to pick up the run of his thoughts as after some interruption such as a telephone call-and in order that this may be done with a minimum of distraction merely by* shifting the' control member above mentioned,

without having to backspace the carriage, the reproducer stylus is set back from the recorder stylus in respect ofthe direction of advance of the carriage.

In these machines, however, the control mem-y ber for the translating device is provided with an intermediate or neutral position through which it passes when the translating device is shifted between recording and reproducing conditions, and in this neutral position the control member is effective both to place the translating device into a neutral condition and to disconnect the carriage from its vfeed mechanism, this disconnecting being for the purpose of freeing the carriage for manual movement along the record. Since the carriage is very freely mounted, a slight pressure which the operator may accidentally apply tothe carriage in the direction of its travel, as the control member is shifted between recording and reproducing conditions, will result in displacing the carriage and in putting the translating device into coaction with the record at an unintended point. This ordinarily will require relocation of the carriage relative to the record and will. in the least tend to distract the operators attention from his dictation. Accordingly, such accidental displacements of the carriage are very desirably to be avoided.

According to the present invention, an accidental displacing of the carriage as an incident to listening to the last portion of ones previously recorded dictation is effectively prevented by the provision of a control arrangement which is adapted normally to hold the carriage locked against manual movement as the control member is shifted through neutral position to condition the machine for recording and reproducing. This is accomplished by requiring, in order to disconnect the carriage from its feed mechanism, that some auxiliary operation be performed on the machine when the control member is in, or is placed into, neutral position. This auxiliary operation is selected to be one which is not ordinarily effected while one shifts the control member between recording and reproducing positions incidental to listening back to ones previously recorded dictation, but is an operation that may be easily performed to free the carriage from its feed mechanism and allow it to be manipulated along the record when such a manipulation is needed, as when it is desired to return the carriage to initial position for conditioning the machine for subsequent operation on a newly mounted record.

It is an object of my invention to provide improved control arrangements, and modes of control, for dictating machines which are designed in practice to give a more positive control ovez` the machine with an increased dependailbity in its operation.

It is another object to provide novel and imy proved control systems for dictating machines which will facilitate their use and operation.

It is another object to provide improvements for dictating machnes which are designed to serve as safeguards to prevent accidental misoperations of the machine as an incident to the act of listening back to previously recorded dictation while in the course of carrying out a recording operation.

It is a further object to provide effective means to prevent an accidental displacing of the carriage incidental to shifting the translating device between recording and reproducing conditions.

Still other and allied objects of my invention will more fully appear from the following de` scription and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing of which: I

Figure l is a fractional side elevational view of a conventional dictating machine, with parts broken away and parts appearing in section, to which a preferred form of my invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a partial top view, partly in plan and partly in section, of the ure 1;

mechanism of Figball 30, the reproducer Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 or' Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of circuits and mechanism according to my invention; and

Figure 5 is a view illustrating a modined form of speaking tube which may be conveniently used A in connection with my invention.

The phonograph fractionally shown in the accompanying drawing has a frame comprising a base I provided with standards at the sides, of which only a leftward standard 2 is shown, and with an intermediate standard 3, this frame being mounted within a cabinet" 4 partially shown in Figure l. The intermediate standard serves as a bearing support for a mandrel 5 which is 'adapted for carrying a cylindrical record 6. This mandrel is rotated by a motor 1 shown diagrammatically in Figure 4. The motor is coupled by a belt (not shown) to a drive pulley 8. This drive pulley is journalled to the leitward standard 2 and coupled by a clutch 9 to the mandrel.

Supported by the side standards of the frame of the machine is a pair of rods III and II on which a carriage I2 is slidably mounted for traveling movement along the record. 'This carriage has a hollow rearward part housing certain control mechanisms hereinafterA described, and has a, forward arm I2a which overhangs the record and carries a translating device I3. Traveling movement of the carriage along the record is fiected by a feed screw I4 journalled to the side standards of the frame and by a cooperating feed nut I5 which is carried by a bracket I6 that is pivoted on a cross rod I1 of the carriage. Rotation of the feed screw is taken from the mandrel through a. train of gears of which only the gear I8 on the mandrel shaft is shown.

The translating device I3 is herein illustrated aS being a conventional one of the acoustical type, and may for the present purposes be briefly described as follows: This device has a circular member I9 for its frame which is provided with an upstanding tubular neck 20 and with a front depending lug 2 I. Separately pivoted to this lug on a horizontal axis 22 is a circular casing 23 known commonly as a sound box and a. biasing weight 24 which is held directly belowthe sound box. Mounted on the under side of the sound box (onto a diaphragm not shown) and extending through the biasing weight is a stirrup 25 which carries a. recorder stylus 26. Pivoted at 21 to the weight is a lever 28 which carries a reproducer stylus 29' at one end thereof, the other end of the lever being in engagement with the stirrup 25. As is shown in Figure 2, the reproducer stylus is set back from the recorderstylus in respect of the direction of advance of the carriage, as has been aforementioned.

When ,both the sound box and the biasing weight are held raised in the positions which they occupy in Figure 1, the styli are held out of engagement with the record and the device is in f a neutral condition. When only the sound box is held raised, the Weight moves down to press the reproducer stylus against the record and concurrently to hold the stylus lever 28 against the stirrup 25 whereby to condition the translating device for reproducing. When however both the sound .box and biasing weight are released, the biasing weight moves down and comes to rest on the record through the medium of an advance stylus being now out of contact with the record, moves down and comes to rest on the record through the medium of the recorder stylus 26. This coaction of the sound box and also the sound box with the record through the medium of the recorder stylus places the translating device into condition for recording.

For so controlling the sound box and biasing weight to place the translating device into its respective conditions, there are provided lifting fingers 3| and 32 for the sound box and biasing weight respectively, which fingers are pivoted to the carriage on the cross rod I1 aforementioned. The fingers are biased upwardly in a clockwise direction by tension springs generally referred to as 33. By the action of these springs the iingers bear upwardly against a cross pin 34 provided on the hub of a control lever 35 that is pivoted on'the support rod I0 between the side walls of the carriage, there being an opening 36 In the top of the carriage through which the control lever extends. When the control lever is in a neutral position-which is the central position it occupies in' Figure l-both lifting fingers occupy their uppermost positions and hold the sound box and biasing weight to place the translating device into neutral condition. When the control lever is moved into a forward positionwhich is hereinafter termed its recording position-the pin 34 is slid along cam surfaces 31 on the lifting fingers to cam both ngers downwardly into their lowermost positions, the pin coming to rest in notches 38 in these fingers to detent the control lever in recording position. This lowering of the fingers has the effect of placing the translating device into recording condition as is above explained. When the control lever is however moved from neutral position into a rearward positionwhich is hereinafter termed its reproducing position-the pin 34 engages a cam 39 on the lifting nger 32 and cams this iinger into its lowermost positions; however, the pin passes along a dwell 40 on the finger 3| and holds this finger stationary. the pin coming to rest into a notch 4I to detent the lever in reproducing position. This has the effect of retaining the sound box in raised position but releasing the biasing weight to condition the translating device for reproducing. Of course, when the control lever is returned from recording or reproducing position to neutral position, the reverse operations from those above described take place and the anslating device is returned to neutral condi- The sound box is vsound coupled to the tubular neck 20, by suitable means not shown, and sound communication to and from the sound box is had through a flexible speaking tube 42 which has a coupling member 43 that seats on the translating device and pivots on the neck 20. On the outer end of this speaking tube there is the usual handpiece 44. This handpiece is provided with a start-stop control 45 which is adapted to be operated by the hand, this control being provided for controlling the clutch 9 as will be now explained.

The clutch 9 is operated by an actuating mechanism 46 preferably of the form disclosedA in Langley Patent No. 1,380,486 issued June 7, 1921. This mechanism is well known in the art and is accordingly sufficiently illustrated for the present purposes by its schematic showing in Figure 4.l

circuit of the start coil is broken and that of the stop coil is prepared for operation; this is done by a switch comprising a pole member 52 on the armature 49 `and contact members 53 `and 54 which are respectively connected to the startend stop coils. When thev stop coil is next energized, the reverse operation takes place: the clutch 9 being disengaged,` the circuit through the stop coil being broken, and the circuit of the start coil being now prepared for operation.

This mechanism 46 is controlledby a singlepole double-throw switch 55.V The pole member 55a of this switch is connected by a lead conn ductor 56 to one side of a power supply, as to a line conductor block 51, and the other sideof the power supply is connected by a'leadconductor 58 to the armature pole member 49. The contact members 55D and 55o of this switch 55am connected by lead conductors 59 and 60 tothe start and stopcoils respectively. vThe switch 55 is mounted within the handpiece 44 and placed 1n coupled relation with the hand control 45, and the lead conductors 56, 59 and 60 extend from the switch through a speaking tube as is shown. When the switch 55 is thrown to the left as it appears in Figure 4, which `is accomplished by depressing the hand control 45, :the circuit through the start coil is closed with the power supply, by way of the pole member 5.2 and contact 53, and that coil 4is energized to engage the clutch. Conversely, when the switch 551s next thrown to the right into the position itoccupies in Figure 4, which is done by releasing the hand control 45, the stop coil 43 is energizedyby way of the pole member 52 and contact v54, to disenvgage the clutch. i

The apparatus so far described is common to dicta-ting machines heretofore manufactured and used, and forms Aa part of the present invention only insofar as it is related to or combined with other mechanism hereinafter described.

The normal operation of the` apparatus so far described willbe understoodto be as follows; Having mounted a record onto the mandrel Ithe operator will shift the control lever `35 into recording position and depress the start-stop control 45 to put the machineinto operation. Ifm

` the course of recording dictation the operator should want to reproduce the last portion 4opi-his dictation, he will first release the start-stop control to stop themachine, `then shift'the control lever 35 to reproducing position, and again depress the start-stop control to restart the machine for reproducing. Having nishe'd the reproducing operation, the operator will again stop the machine, shift the control lever 35 back to recording position and again restart the machine to continue the recording operation.

Usually, these machines 'are arranged so tha the control lever 35, by itself, is effective to disengagethe feed nut from the feed screw when this lever is placed in neutral position. This is for the purpose of freeing the carriage for manual movement, simultaneously as the stylidare moved out of contact with the record, so that the carriage may be moved by the hand along the record to return it, for example, to initial position at the completion of a recording operation onv a record. Accordingly, in these machines the carriage is freed momentarily as the control lever is shifted between recordingfand reproducing positions, and `unless care is taken by the operator to avoid applying any pressure against the carriage in the direction of its travel as the lever is yso,

shifted-which is frequently `dii'licultr tondo. since ,operators often sit to one side of the machine as `they 4dict`ate-the carriage will bedisplaced and .the intended course of operation for themachine is interrupted:l u '.1

.My invention has in View holding the carriage locked againstY such accidental displacement during the normal course of manipulations performed on themachine in shifting it to reproducing condition to listen to a portion of previously recorded matter and in shifting it back` to recording 'conditionfto resume la recordingv operation. IThis locking is preferably `carried out by retain ing the feed 'nut engaged with the feedscrew throughout this normal course of operations. Preferably, the feed nut is` controlled 'by the' joint action of twoadjustable elements of the machine,

one ofwhich is the control lever and the other of which may be any suitable control which ordinarily has, or may convenientlyhavea predeterminate setting Aduring the act of shifting the machine between recording and reproducing conditions. Onesuch suitable member for this latter element-which I preferably employ and herein describe-is` the startstop hand control since, as is above noted, it is the customary and usual act for operators of dictating machines to release this control 45 to stop position before shifting the control lever 35.

`An arrangement for vcarrying out the modeof control according to my invention comprisesan electromagnet 6l for disengaging the feed nut, `anda control circuit for this electromagnet which comprises a switch-62 controlled by the lever 35 and `a second switch 63 controlled by the startstop control v,45, these switches being connected serially in a circuit A61 which connects thev electromagnet to the power supply 'block 51 torequire a closing of both switches in order to energize the electromagnet. The .electromagnet 6I is mounted on a depending lug 68 of the base I in aposition below the carriage support rod Il, and is provided. with a `pivoted armature 69 which is coupled by av link 1I] to an arm 1l that is secured to the support rod Il, it being understood that this lrod ll is pivoted at its ends to the side standards of the frame of the machine. Splined to the rod Il between the rearward legs of the carriage I 2 is a cam 12 which operates on an arm 13 of the feed nut. supporting bracket i6. When the electromagnet is not energized, its armature is held by a spring 14 into a downward position wherein the lobe 12a of the cam 12 is out of contact with the arm 13. Under this condition the feed nut is held in engagement with the Afeed screw under theinfluenceof a spring 15 acting on the arm 13 of the bracket I6. When the electromagnet is however energized, the rod ll is turned to engage the cam lobe 12a with the arm 13 and thus raise the feed nut out of engagement with the feed screw.

The switch 62 is mounted on the side standard 2 below the cross rod lll, and is operatively coupled to this rod by a cam .64 that is held by a set screw 65 to the rod. The rod In is pivoted in the side standards of the frame of the machine and is splined at 66 (see Figure 1) to the control lever 35. When this lever is in neutral position the lobe 64a of the cam 64 coacts with the switch 62 to hold it in closed position, but when the lever 35 is moved to recording or, reproducing position the cam lobevmoves to theside to permit the switch 62 to open. The switch 63 comprises a.

the armature pole member 52 of this mechanism.

From the above description, it will be understood that when the control lever 35 is in neutral position and the start-stop control is in stop position-which is the normal, usual position for the start-stop control when the machine is shifted between recording and reproducing conditions-the feed nut will remain engaged to hold the carriage locked against accidental displacements. When however there is need to manipulate the carriage along the record, the carriage may be freed for manual movement by depressing the hand control 45 while the control lever 35 is in neutral position. Moreover, it will be .understood to be a feature of my invention that so long as the control lever 35 is let to remain in neutral position, the hand control 45 is effective by itself as a feed nut control and, concurrently, as a start-stop means for the machine, and may be considered as a control remote from the machine for these purposes.

Alternative to using a start-stop control adapted for hand operation as is above described, there may be used instead a control which is adapted to be operated by pressing the handpiece of the speaking tube against some part of the face, this being a convenient operation to perform for starting and stopping the machine since the handpiece is held directly before the face to receive the voice energy from. the mouth during the recording operation. In Figure 5 there is illustrated a handpiece 80 which is .usable in this manner. This handpiece has a hood-shaped member 8l overlying the top end portion thereof and pivoted thereto as at 82. The forward rim of the member 8| extends beyond the handpiece and is covered with resilient padding 83. Within the handpiece there is provided the switch 55 in a suitable form operable by a button 84. This button extends through the handpiece into contact with a rearward extension 8 la of the member 8l. It will be understood that the button 84 is biased forwardly to normally retain the switch 55 in stop position. However, upon applying a pressure to the front of the member 8l, as by pressing the handpiece up against ones face, the member 8l will be piv oted backwardly to depress the button and place the start-stop control into start position, the control being returned automatically to stop position when the pressure is taken from the member 8|.

The embodiment of my invention herein disclosed will be understood to be illustrative and not limitative of my inventionsince the same is subject to many changes and modications without departure from the scope of my invention, which I undertake to express according to the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a phonograph including a record support, a translating device and a carriage for said device mounted for traveling movement in relation to said support: the combination of means for locking said carriage against manual movement; a control member on said carriage and operatively connected to said translating device for adjusting the device into recording and reproducing conditions; and means for controlling said locking means comprising two control devices respectively operable into different conditions, means to control one of said devices by said control member, and means operatively connecting saidoontrol devices with said locking means for rendering said one device effective to control said locking means only when said l nism, a translating device, and a carriage for said translating device movable by said drive mechanism: the combination of releasable means for holding said carriage constrained against manual movement; a control member on said carriage coupled to said translating device and movable into recording and reproducing positions to adjust the device into recording and reproducing conditions, said control member also having a neutral position; a start-stop control operatively coupled to said drive mechanism and movable into start and stop positions to put the drive mechanism into and out of operation; and means operatively connecting said control member and start-stop control with said holding means and effective to release the holding means upon placing said control member into neutral position while said start-stop control is in start position.

3. In a phonograph including a translating device, a. movably mounted carriage for said device, and a drive for said carriage including a feed screw and cooperating feed nut movably connected to the carriage for movement into and out of engagement with the feed screw: the combination of a control member on said carriage operatively coupled to said translating device and movable from a neutral position into recording and reproducing positions to adjust the device into recording and reproducing conditions respectively; a start-stop control for said drive; and means, operatively connecting said control member and start-stop control with said feed nut and effective on manipulating said start-stop control While said control member is in a predetermined one of its said positions, for moving said feed nut into and out of engagement with said feed screw.

4. In a phonograph including a record support and a carriage for a translating device mounted for traveling movement in relation to said support: the combination of controllable means for locking said carriage against manual movement; and means for controlling said locking means comprising two control members each manually movable into different positions independently of the other; and means operatively interconnecting said control members and coupling the same to said locking means for rendering one of the control members effective to control said locking means upon the other control member being in a predetermined one of its different positions.

5. In a phonograph including a rotatable record support and rotating means therefor, a translating device and a carriage for said device mounted for traveling movement in relation to said support: means for holding said carriage against manual movement; a control member operatively coupled to said translating device and movable between dfferent positions to put the device into different conditions; a start-stop control operatively coupled to said record-rotating means and movable into start and stop positions for putting the rotating means into and out of operation; and means operatively connecting said control member and said start-stop control to said holding means for rendering the control member effective to control the holding means only when said start-stop control is in a predetermined one of its said positions.

the combination of releasable 6., In a phonograph including a rotatable record support and rotating means therefor, a translating device and a carriage for said device mounted for traveling movement in relation to said support: the combination of releasable means for holding said carriage against manual movement; a control member operatively coupled to said translating device and movable between diiierent positions to put the device into different conditions; a start-stop control operatively coupled to said record-rotating means and movable into start and stop positions for putting the rotating means into and out of operation; and means operatively connecting said control member and said start-stop control to said holding means for rendering the start-stop control effective to control the holding means only When the control member is in a, predetermined one of its said positions.

7. In a phonograph including a drive mechanism, a translating device, a carriage for said device mounted for traveling movement, and releasable means coupling said carriage to said drive mechanism: the combination of a rst control member coupled to said translating device and movable from a neutral position into recording and reproducing positions for conditioning said device for recording and reproducing respectively; a second control member coupled to said drive mechanism and movable into start and stop positions for putting the drive mechanism into and out of operation; means, operatively connecting said control members to said coupling means, for causing said coupling means to be released only when said first control member is in a neutral position and said second control member is in start position and for restoring said coupling means to effective condition upon either of said control members being moved out of its said respective position.

- WILLIAM A. HARDY. 

